Playing With Fire
by Fortune Cookie 334
Summary: Once upon a time, the four nations lived in harmony. Once upon a time, Katara had no boy troubles, no tough choices, no worries. Once upon a time she had never heard the names Aang or Toph or Zuko, or even Suki. But there was no way out now. Once upon a time was a long time ago. Pre- Sozin's comet, not an alternate ending but different pairings. Pairings: Sukka, Zutara, and Taang.
1. Nothing but flames

**Author's note: This story takes place before last episode, Sozin's comet, (more like, what, 3 or 4 episodes?) I just want everyone to know that I am not a Zutara fan. I support Kataang and Maiko because it just makes the most sense. This world is about logic, and everything has a reason. However, this is my first fanfic and I wanted it to be good, good as in better than anything I've ever written. So, I've decided to do some experimenting. Although it would never work out, what if there was some secret Zutara? Obviously in Sozin's comet they like each other... Tee-hee. Anyway, I'm going to shut up and type now…**

Katara's POV:

Fire is everywhere. Chaos is everywhere. The smoke is thick and black, choking out the sunlight and muffling the screams of terrified villagers.

Azula's words still rang in my ears, "You can run, but you can't hide from fire, because fire will always find you, and then it's all over."

"I know it's not the time, but I'm the only one who can see right now, aren't I?" Toph blurts out, crouching next to me in the middle of the burning village, before being overtaken by a violent coughing fit.

"Lucky you." Zuko snapped.

"Don't fight, please," I pleaded, "All we have to do is find Aang."

"Katara!" Aang's voice rings out in the night.

"Aang!" I call back, waving my arms frantically even though the smoke is too thick to see anything. A loud whooooooooosh echoes in the air, and suddenly the smoke clears. I almost wish it hadn't, because the fire and destruction is far worse. But Aang stands before us, with Appa, and a small group of people.

"I'm going to fly the sick and elderly away. It's the best I can do. I have to trust everyone else to escape on their own." He looks so sad and beaten that I want to snap my fingers and make this all disappear. I hated seeing my best friend this way.

Aang's gaze travels over the three of us, Toph, Zuko, and I, and his gaze hardens. "There's no way I can make Appa carry all of the sick and elderly, along with you three. You're powerful benders and…" He chokes up, as if the truth just hit him in the stomach, cold, hard, and irreversible, "I have to trust you to make it back to out campsite on your own." He finally finishes.

I know my mouth is hanging open, and my eyes are widening, I'm thinking, "_That's it? He's just going to leave me here? With Toph and Zuko? Last time I checked, they're not exactly my best friends in the world! How are we going to make it back with Azula on our tail?_"

But I should start at the beginning. It was a sunny day in a small fire nation village, the opening day of the carnival. Aang had found a flyer for a carnival in a town that was an hour long journey from where we were staying, flying on Appa. On foot, it was a three day journey, plus a boat ride to Ember Island. Zuko had been unenthusiastic, and so had I, because of the horrible Ember Island Play experience. Aang had insisted we try, and soon we were at the carnival, Aang, Toph, Zuko, and I. (Sokka and Suki had been nowhere to be found, no surprise there, huh?)

But Azula, as usual, had crashed the party, only much worse. She ruthlessly and mercilessly attacked, and with a large group of fire benders, she burned down the entire village. A fire nation village. And I'm sure she didn't regret it at all.

*end of flashback*

Aang tossed us a map, the same one we used to get here. It fell on the ground at my feet, and I backed up a step. The elderly climbed on Appa, then the sick, then finally Aang.

He flashed us one last smile and yelled "Appa, yip yip!" Appa took off into the smoke filled sky. "Good luck!" Aang called, before Appa's form completely disappeared into the smoke. I could stand there all day and stare at the spot where Appa disappeared, but a voice jolted me awake.

"We're going to need it, aren't we?" Toph asked, looking genuinely scared for the first time. Her unseeing eyes stared at the chaotic scene around her, and I knew that she knew exactly what was happening, blind or not.

"Come on, we have to get out of here." Zuko replied, which, even though he didn't answer the question, held the hidden meaning of 'Yes. We need all the luck we can get.' He picked up the map and set off at a brisk walk towards the direction Appa flew, the village entrance. Not knowing what else to do, Toph and I followed.

**Author's note: This is a milestone for me, my first chapter of my first story in fanfiction. (even though it's pretty short...) I love writing this story already, and I can't back down now. I hope to get chapter 2 in soon, and hopefully get in an update once a week, but I can assure you sometimes I won't, because hey, it's summer vacation and I won't be home for a week sometimes! Anyway, please review, and um… happy vacations everyone! **


	2. Complaining, sulking, whining, pouting

** Author's note: Yeek! Can't believe I forgot this! DISCLAIMER: I do not own avatar the last airbender and I never have and never will. I am very sorry disclaimer hunters… please don't hurt me. **

Toph's POV

We had been walking almost all day. When we had left the deserted, burning carnival, it had been noon, but now it was nearly sunset. Still, no matter how much I complained, Zuko nor Katara didn't stop, didn't reply, didn't even give me the satisfaction of annoying them. Now we were walking through a thick forest, my worst enemy.

"Rest much, steam engine?" I whined at Zuko, stumbling and cursing at the thick underbrush. He just plowed on, Katara trailing dutifully after him like a puppy. He hadn't once looked up from the map.

"Katara… I need to rest. Please, at least can we slow down?" I pleaded, since Zuko seemed even grumpier than usual, and like I said when we saw the Ember Island Play, that's saying something. Katara stopped and sighed.

"I suppose… I suppose your right…" Katara said sulkily. It was the first thing she'd said since Aang left. Why was she taking this all on a personal level? Did she think she was just so important that Aang should've at least taken her with him? Even if she was one of my closest friends, she could be a little self- centered. I brushed away my annoyed thoughts. I was just tired and hungry, that was all.

Zuko stopped too, and sighed. "Alright. I saw smoke coming from chimneys ahead a little bit more, I think there's a village where we can get food. And we can sleep right here." He gestured at a cave to our right, "Make yourselves at home."

Even though I'm grateful and relieved, I decide to toy with my friends. "You too are both sounding like Mai right now," I teased, quoting how they had both sighed dramatically, "And why, Sparky, did you stop for the Sugar Queen but not me?" Even though I can't see, I can sense the heat on his face; I can picture him and Katara exchanging a look of embarrassment. I just love playing with those two.

Katara's POV:

I wish we hadn't stopped. All we were doing was sitting around a campfire in a cave. First of all, in my whole adventure with the Avatar, I had had enough of caves. Second, I had CERTAINLY had enough of fire.

So when Zuko stood up and said "I'm going to the village to get some food," I sprang up immediately, seizing the excuse to get out of the cave and yelled "Me too! I'm coming too!" Zuko gave me a weird look, and I blushed. _"I am the avatar's girl,"_ I reminded myself, _"I did not just pair myself up with Zuko and I will not flirt in any way. No matter how good he looks in the firelight." _I added, just to be thorough.

"Well count me out. I've had enough for one day." Toph mumbled.

…Thirty minutes later, at the village…

"Okay, here's what we're going to do," Zuko instructed, giving me a couple of silver coins, "You can get the fruit and vegetables over there," He gestured to the two pitiful food stands near a back alley, "And I'll get bread and fish over there," he pointed at two even more pitiful food stands near the city's center, "and we can meet back here. That way we can get it done fast and go…er… home."

The sun was setting quickly, and there were less and less people at the food stands, so I agreed quickly, and hurried towards the fruit and vegetable stands. I bought what I had come for, and bought a basket to carry it in. I constantly glanced left and right, nervous in the dim light left before night. Then all of the sudden, I didn't know where I was. I must have wandered somewhere, lost in thought.

"Hey hottie." A voice said behind me, and I whirled around. Three teenage boys faced me, smiling cruelly.

"Aw, she's lost, isn't she?" One of them asked teasingly. The three of them advanced on me, and my heart was pounding in my ears, loud and fast. I stepped back as they stepped forward.

"We don't usually get girls like you around here. Where are you from?" Another asked me, getting up in my face. I stopped backing up.

"None of your business." I tried to say bravely, but my voice was shaking. "HELP!" I shrieked, even though I knew I could handle them. There was no water around. Then there were footsteps behind me. _"Oh no, no no no no, not another one."_

"Oh, there you are. I've been looking all over for you." Someone behind me said. My hero or another enemy? I thought I recognized the voice…

"Who are you?" The third boy spoke up, but it sounded less like a question and more like a threat.

"That is none of your concern." Whoever was behind me dismissed the question coldly, moving up to stand beside me. I knew that voice! But… who was it…? Of course! Zuko! Waves of relief washed over me. I was saved!

"Go away," The first boy said, "We're just talking to this young lady here."

"Oh, do you mean Katara? She's with me…" Zuko put an arm around my shoulder as if to prove his point. He was sounding less like the outcast that I had learned to like and more like the prince that I knew him to be. "So I suggest you back off." He finished, putting the arm that he had around my shoulders down and drawing a line in the dirt between us and the boys. It burst into flame, and a wall of fire grew where the line was. _"Where did he learn that?!"_ I wondered.

Before I could ask him, though, he grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the alley. "What about the fire?" I asked him.

"I can't keep it going long," he replied, "It's out now, so we need to get out of here." He led me through alleys, around twists and turns, and finally through the village entrance. As soon as we were out of the village, Zuko tried to pull his hand away, but I held on, seeking comfort in his warmth and company on the dark, cold night.

**Author's note: Aaaaaaaaaaand SCENE! Look for more action in chapter 3! When does Taang come in… you'll just have to wait and see… Also, I like the random song thing I did at the start of this 3-Microsoft-word-page chapter. Now I'll find a Zutara song ;) Mmmmmmaybe…**


	3. Finally Getting Somewhere

**Author's note: Virtual cookies to my first reviewer, Tratie-Zutara-and-Perlia-Fan! Thank you for the praise! I will try to add your suggestion into the story. **

Zuko's POV: (Scary music plays)(Hahaha)(Turns random hidden radio off)

"Wait." I turned around, realizing I had left Katara behind me. She stood there, several feet behind me, looking at the moon like she had never seen a full moon before.

"Come on," I said gruffly, "The cave isn't very far away, and then you can look at the moon."

"Oh what, the moon?" She muttered, lost in thought, before being jolted back to reality. "Yeah, yeah, the moon. The moon." She quickly covered up her mistake. "I just wanted to tell you something before we go back to the cave. Because, you know, Toph would make fun of me, you know how she does that, right?" She studied my face in the light of the full moon as if looking for an answer, so I tried to make my expression impassive.

"Why? Is it a secret? Am I about to learn why I woke up one morning and my COOKIE JAR was MISSING?" I asked teasingly, and she laughed.

"Actually," She replied, "I do know who did that." She walked around so she was behind me, then whispered "Aang did it." I turned around to see her smiling naughtily. "But you didn't here it from me." She finished.

"And what will Aang do when I tell him that you told me?" I teased, starting to have fun with this, knowing my smile matched Katara's.

"Well, you wouldn't tell him, would you, not an ol' softy like you…" She teased back, inches away from me now, and I could've sworn she was flirting with me.

"Try me." I challenged.

"Teddy bear."

"Sugar Queen."

"You JERK!" She yelled, punching my shoulder, but she was laughing as she said it. Soon I was laughing too, something I rarely did. Finally, after our laughing fit died down, Katara's smile fell, and her expression was serious.

"But I do have something to tell you." She whispered.

"What?" I asked, also whispering, but subconsciously wondering what the point of whispering was.

"Thank you." She said, and then added "For everything." Then she did the absolutely unexpected: She hugged me. She actually hugged me. I mean, I'd seen her hug Aang like a billion times, but me? ME?!

I felt the heat on my face and knew I was blushing. For some reason, Azula's voice popped into my head shrieking _"Stop blushing Zu-zu, it's not manly!"_ When Katara pulled away, she smiled evilly and stated "You're blushing."

"Am not!" I retorted.

"It's not manly." She pointed out. _"Wait- did she read my mind?!"_

"Um.."

"That's okay, I forgive you, Teddy Bear."

"Don't make me hurt you."

"Don't make me laugh." Katara drew out laugh so it sounded like laaaaaaaaaaaaugh. Then she leaned in close, and I panicked even though  
I knew what was coming next. We didn't get that far. There was a scream, and Katara jumped, before running towards the cave.

"Katara!" I yelled, and then ran after her. So much for that. I couldn't ignore the warning bells going off in my head. The three boys' next pretty victim… or something far worse?

When I caught up to her at the mouth of the cave, I finally realized who had screamed.

"Toph…" Katara mumbled, as if reading my thoughts again. The ground looked morphed, with broken earth spikes and scorch marks covering the floor. The campfire had been scattered and flaming logs and twigs were scattered around the cave, illuminating the seemingly frozen scene.

"Azula." I muttered, "She found us, even here." Katara shot me a terrified look. "Azula found Toph…" And judging by the unconscious (but probably dead) fire bender at the cave entrance, she had put up a pretty good fight. Toph was fighting for her life while we had… flirted closer to the village! I tried to feel the elation that I had felt earlier with Katara, but now all I could feel was regret.

Toph's POV

It's horribly dark here. And cold, come to think of it. Chills ran up and down my spine. I was in some kind of fire nation war balloon, planning, plotting, and waiting for revenge. It wasn't a fair fight, it was an ambush! I remembered how I had gotten here, in this dark prison.

"Let me go!" I screamed at the three firebenders holding me hostage.

"I'm afraid that's not possible." Azula explained slowly, like she was talking to a dumb little kid, which I AM NOT, by the way. "We take you hostage, then my brother and his petty water tribe girlfriend will come to us. Okay?"

"She's not his girlfriend." I retorted through gritted teeth.

"Oh, jealous are we? Poor little earthbender." Azula drawled. Okay, so maybe I had a little crush on Zuko, but no way was I jealous of Katara! "Just take her away." She commanded.

So I was taken to this dank, smelly old place. Just as a firebender was about to close the door, I tried to metalbend the chains, and, utterly failing, I yelled, "Wooden CHAINS?! Classic! Just… AGH I can't stand you fire nation PEOPLE!" I writhed and squirmed, trying to get out of the chains. Then the doors closed, and I was plunged into darkness.

*end of flashback*

There was muffled conversation outside my cell. A couple of idiot firebenders, probably discussing the many ways to kill people with fire over fish and chips. They disgust me.

"We're here. We're at the prison."

"Good. Take the earth bender out, but be careful." _Stupid…wooden…chains…_ I struggled some more, when the door was flung open, and two firebenders came in. They dragged me out of the cell, out of the war balloon, into an old, rotting building, and tossed me into another cell. The door was slammed shut.

"You can't do this to me!" I screamed, pounding on the door. A wooden door. Like it was made for me… even though I knew _"Hey, it probably was made for me. Or someone like me, that is." _Then I stopped, because I thought I heard someone.

"Toph?" Somebody asked.

"Who's there?" I whipped around, struggling to see in the darkness. Just then, a candle flickered on, in a corner.

"I smuggled this in here. They didn't check my pockets. Stupid firebenders." The candle was moved right in front of me, and facing me was the person I least expected to be here.

"Aang?"

**Author's note: And so… we find our beloved heroes separated into small groups of two. So how did Aang get in the prison? Well you'll just have to wait and find out, eh? Sorry for torturing you. I can only get chapters out so fast, especially at camp.**


	4. Someone Unexpected

**Author's note: I have nothing to say! D=**

Sokka's POV

"Hey Team Avatar!" I yelled as I walked into the fire lord's house, "Miss me?" My voice echoed off of the walls. No one answered, not Aang's "Hey Sokka!" or Toph's sarcastic "Yeah, whatever snoozles. You were only gone all day." Or even Zuko's "Not really…"

"Do you think they're trying to play a trick on us?" Suki asked, looking uncertain.

"Definitely," I replied, then raised my voice and yelled "We were just going into town to get some food and catch a rerun of our play! You know, it's a lot better now that my jokes are original!" I waited for a reply, but there was none. "Let's go look for them." I muttered to Suki, then walked in one direction, while Suki went the other way.

"Hello?" Suki yelled.

"This isn't funny, guys!" I shouted into a bedroom. Soon I had searched every room, with no sign of my friends. I walked back to the courtyard, where Suki was already standing.

"You didn't find them." Suki guessed. I shook my head. "Neither did I." she said as if it confirmed her fears.

"Well," I said, scratching my head, "Either they're pulling a REALLY good prank, or they're gone."

Aang's POV

"You're the person I least wanted to see here." I muttered. Scratch that, I really wanted her company here, but that would seem selfish.

"I know," Toph shot back bitterly, "You wanted to see Miss Pretty Sugar Queen."

"No, that's not what I meant at all!" I exclaimed, "I don't want to see anyone here! It's just that- I don't know- I didn't want you to have the bad luck of winding up here, too! Because I… care about you?" Toph's face betrayed no emotion.

"Just how did you get here?" Toph asked with a suspicious look forming on her face.

"Well…" I began, then took a deep breath and told my story. "I was flying the sick and elderly, simple as that. I dropped them all off in some fire nation village with a nice little hospital, then began flying back towards you, Katara, and Zuko. Well, I was shot out of the sky! That big war balloon that you came from, it had a bunch of firebenders in it, just shooting fire at me!" I was starting to get into the story, so I decided to make sound effects, "Like, phoo phoo phoo Ka-booosh! And I had to swerve Appa to get out of the way!" I pretended that my cuffed hands were Appa, and swerved them around. Toph raised an eyebrow, but didn't interrupt me. "I landed Appa, so it wouldn't get hurt, but this firebender hit me on the back of the head with a club! Ouch! I passed out and woke up here!" I gestured around me at the damp and smelly room. "Nice place, isn't it?" I finished, waggling my eyebrows. Toph burst out laughing.

"Strange vibrations, Twinkletoes." Toph remarked after she stopped laughing, "Just what were you doing with your hands?"

"Being Appa!" I said, rather embarrassed, and asked "Was it good?"

"Sure thing, Twinkletoes, sure thing." Toph replied.

"I'm stuck here now," I stated gloomily, but just then I got an idea. I looked from the candle to Toph's wooden cuffs, then back to the candle. With a lighter tone, I remarked, "But you're not."

Katara's POV:

"From the looks of it, a war balloon landed here. That means Toph was probably taken to the sky prison, a prison at the top of a tall tower. Prisoners go there and never return, and you can only get there by war balloon, like the boiling rock…" Zuko never stopped talking, did he? His voice slowly faded into a hum at the back of my mind. I found it adorable that he just blabbered when he was nervous, going on and on. And of course he stuttered when put on the spot. Big, tough, scary Fire Prince? Nah, I just had to get to know him.

Still, he was a good friend of mine. Er… a really good friend. I knew how to make him shut up fast, but he had a girlfriend already, meaning I didn't exactly have the rights to- you know- kiss him. Which I had gotten really close to doing last night. That seems like a long time ago now. Still, I can't help envying Mai. The conversation always gets awkward when her name is mentioned. She saved Zuko's life at the boiling rock, and Sokka's, Suki's, and my father's as well, or so I've been told by Sokka. How can I compete with that?

I was snapped out of my daydreaming by the name "Mai".

"Huh? What? What about her?!" I growled, getting defensive.

"I said that Azula never wanted to see her friends' faces again, so the sky prison is probably where they put Ty Lee and Mai." Zuko snapped, "Were you even listening?!" I could feel his frustration, his anger and heat coming off him in waves.

"I'm sorry, Teddy bear; I have a lot on my mind." I said tiredly, but threw a stinger in the confession, too, for even bringing up Mai.

Zuko flinched and asked "Teddy bear? Really?"

"Really and truly." I said, then yawned. I hadn't slept at all last night.

Zuko's frustrated look turned to one of concern and he asked "Are you okay? We can stay here another day."

"No." I shook my head violently, as if shaking off sleep, then added, "Let's go hijack a war balloon!"

**Author's note: Sorry this update took a little longer then usual. I had writer's block. Anyway, prepare for some action next chapter! Please review and next chapter will probably be longer than this one! (Even if nobody reviews it'll be longer than this one…) I want your feedback! (Give it to me! *laughs*) Have a nice summer, everyone!**


	5. Jailbreak

**Author's note: Hello everyone! I would like to give an extra large virtual cookie to all my wonderful reviewers, thank you for your feedback! *Pulls out scroll and reads names out loud* Tratie-Zutara-and-Perlia-fan, Moonshadow0501, and Julianna54321, I present to you your extra- ginormous virtual cookie! (::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::) Please share it amongst yourselves! DISCLAIMER: No, I still don't own Avatar the Last Airbender, but I want it for Christmas! And I don't own this song, but honestly I want that for Christmas too!** **I used to support Maiko and Kataang but TO HECK WITH IT! I love writing about Zutara, so write I will mwahahahaha! Also Toph and Aang are cute together. And so… at long last, I present to you, CHAPTER FIVE! **

Toph's POV:

I felt heat around my wrists, and knew what Aang planned to do.

"Don't!" I exclaimed, feeling more like Katara then me, like setting foot on an alien planet, "Somebody's going to get hurt."

Aang replied, sounding confident, "I'm not getting hurt, I can firebend just fine. And you're not going to get hurt either. I promise." I felt something on my cheek, and my hand flew up to my face. It took a moment to register; _He just kissed me on the cheek. Not Katara, me. _I blushed furiously, thinking _Fudge it Aang, why are you making this so confusing!?_

There was a quick, searing pain on my wrists, but then the pain and my cuffs were gone. "Now go!" Aang whispered, because a guard stood outside the door. I could sense him.

"Not before I return the favor!" I replied. I shifted my weight from foot to foot, feeling Aang's nervous vibrations. Judging by the placement of his feet and the fact that he seemed smaller than usual, I could tell he was curled up in a ball on the floor. _Breathe in; breathe out, in, out. _I stood there a moment, then lunged forward and ripped his metal cuffs in half like they were made of paper.

"Whoa." Aang breathed. "Now watch this!" He yelled, blasting a plume of fire at the wooden door, which exploded into a shower of sparks. I wish I could see it, but instead I had to 'feel it' and 'imagine it'.

"Come on!" I yelled, grabbing Aang's hand and yanking him out of the cell.

The guard by the door shot a fireball at us while yelling "The Avatar and the earthbender girl have escaped! Help!" and I made a rock wall as Aang knocked the poor unsuspecting guy unconscious with a well placed kick to the head.

"Revenge, baby!" He yelled, then we sprinted towards the doorway out of the prison.

"What, no Avatar spirit magic?" I panted as we ran.

"No, just inspiration!" He replied, grabbing my hand and sprinting faster. Suddenly I stopped, accidentally tripping Aang, who yelled "WAAAAAAAH!" before landing on the floor with a thud.

"What about the other prisoners?" I asked, but Aang was out cold. _There's no time._ I told myself. Suddenly, firebenders appeared out of side hallways. I could feel them all around me, surrounding me. "Okay, Twinkletoes, piggyback ride!" I hoisted Aang onto my back, then ran forward with all my might, having a reason to fight, having someone to protect, and barreled into the crowd of firebenders. Fireballs were flying, fire surrounded me. The firebenders had dodged and backed away into the sides of the hall, and made a tunnel around me out of fire.

I remembered another time like this, when I was surrounded by fire. For what seemed like a minute I was suspended in midair, charging forward, as light on my feet as Aang. Adrenaline pumped through me and anger at the firebenders took hold of me. They destroyed everything with their little fancy fires. _I'll show them what real bending looks like!_ I thought as the tunnel of fire narrowed around me. I pulled stone out of the floor, into thin stone bars surrounding me as I fell. I hit the ground, out of the fire tunnel as it was about to close up.

The stone bars I had created hovered in midair, then implanted themselves in the ground, reaching up to the ceiling behind me, trapping all of the firebenders. When I hit the ground, past the fire tunnel and bars, Aang flew off of my back and sailed, unconscious still, through the air. _Not on my watch._ I leaped forward and caught him in my arms, just in time. Extreme luck. I hoisted Aang back onto my back and ran out of the entrance. Once outside, I turned back and yelled "Yeah, that's how I roll!" before running onto a war balloon, following pure instinct back to ember island.

Zuko's POV:

I was steering a war balloon. A hijacked war balloon. Yeah, I wouldn't have believed it either, if I wasn't living it. I was so concentrated on steering the ship that I didn't hear Katara come up behind me. I nearly jumped when she put a hand on my shoulder.

"Hey Zuko…" She said. Chills ran up and down my spine, and my shoulder tingled where Katara had her hand on it. I was freaking out, in only the way Katara can make me feel.

"Y-y-yes?" I stuttered, feeling awkward and humiliated at the same time.

"When we get back to your old house, I was wondering if you want to- y'know- go eat dinner together somewhere. Just you and me. Get to know each other better." I turned around and looked at Katara, who was blushing. She took her hand off my shoulder and twiddled her fingers. _Wait, _I thought, _is she asking me out?! _

"I can't." I said quietly, turning back around.

"Oh, right." She replied bitterly, "You already have a girlfriend."

"No, it's not that!" I whirled around to face her yet again, "I'd take a night with you over a night with Mai any day! It's just that-" She gave me a shocked but hopeful look, "We're in the middle of a war." I finished. We stood there awkwardly for a few moments, then I broke down and said "Well, there's this really nice restaurant on Ember island, and it's just down the road from the house-"

"Six' o'clock, then!" Katara chirped, "See you there!" With that, she turned around and left the room, going back to where she came from. The balcony, probably. Somehow I wondered if she'd show up at the restaurant. I knew that I would probably wait patiently for an hour, then start blowing things up. Mai would be there to calm me down. That's what I liked about Mai. Even though she was dull and emotionless, she was always there for me when I needed her. Then we would eat dinner, and find Aang and Katara out somewhere. I felt a twinge of envy that the airbender won her over so easily.

My thoughts were interrupted by a shrill "Zuko, look at this!" telling me that we had arrived at the prison. As Katara and I snuck off the ship and onto the war balloon, one question kept resurfacing in my head… _Should I even go to the restaurant at all? _

**Author's note: So, who do they find in the sky prison? Well, it's someone who causes drama; can you guess who it is? Here's a hint, it starts with an M and ends with AI . Can you guess? Of course you can. Until next time, then.**


	6. Competition

**Author's note: I am a horrible person. Sorry this update took me so long… I started watching Legend of Korra and bam! I was sucked in. I watched 12 episodes in 3 days, obsessing to the point that my parents got angry at me. Hee-hee. Also, I was out of town for a while, soo… DISCLAIMER: This is my ****last**** disclaimer. I don't own it. Period. Now, can that count for all of my other chapters, too? I'll take the silence as a yes. I just want everyone to know that I'm not going to own any hit TV shows for a long time yet. **

Aang's POV

I was awoken by a rough shaking on my shoulder. "Wa-?" I asked in a sleep slurred voice.

"Aang, wake up, we have to go!" I opened my eyes to see Toph kneeling by me, shaking my shoulder. "We have to go and I can't pilot a war balloon!" She said worriedly. Suddenly, I remembered where we were.

"Right, right!" I yelled, jumping up immediately. I turned some cranks, pressed buttons, and pulled levers. "How do I turn this thing on?" I asked.

"Aang, are there any BIG RED BUTTONS?" Toph asked sarcastically, her worried look immediately wiped off of her face.

"Well," I replied, looking around and spotting one, "Actually, yes there are."

Toph looked surprised for a second, then commanded "Then press it." I did, and the ship whirred to life. It began lurching forward, throwing Toph into the wall. She swore colorfully and yelled "TURN! USE THE WHEEL!" The ship crashed through the docks and I spun the wheel. The ship took a hard right, slamming Toph into another wall, and I struggled to hang on to the wheel.

"Head towards the sunset!" Toph yelled.

"Aye-aye captain!" I yelled back, turning the wheel again so the ship faced the sunset. Then we were on our way. "Okay, now we just keep going straight and we'll be back at camp!" I said, happily.

I turned around to look at Toph. She looked green. "Fancy flying, Twinkletoes." Was the only sarcastic comment she could make. I grinned, and turned back around.

Katara's POV:

Entering had been easy. Besides the small hardship of slipping through some strangely placed stone bars, getting in was easy. It looked like someone beat us here. The place was a wreck, and most of the cell doors were open. Firebenders lay unconscious on the floor, and we happily tossed them into cells and locked the doors. Then we searched the entire prison, but Toph was nowhere to be found. However, we found a strange huge cell with broken bars and white fur on the floor. Next to that cell was an even stranger wooden cell with a huge hole burned through the door. The whole prison seemed eerily deserted, until we came to the last cell on the left. Someone I really didn't want to find was right there. I stood outside the cell door, trying to seem strong, but I was nervous and shifty in spite of myself. Something was not right here.

_I'm finally facing her._ The one who's always seemed to be better than me. Mai. Zuko's ex-girlfriend. Or at least, that's what I like to believe. Except I wasn't really facing her. I stood behind Zuko, clutching his arm and standing so Mai could only see half of me, like a shy little girl. Although it was a pitiful attempt, I glared at Mai and gripped his arm tighter as if to say "He's mine." Mai, however, didn't notice. Her attention was completely on Zuko.

"You came." She said finally, with a slightly disappointed note to her voice.

Zuko obviously noticed, and shot back "What, too late for you?" There was tension in the air, as if both of them remembered breaking up not so long ago.

"Can you at least get me out of here?" Mai asked, and then turned to look at me. I tried to shoot daggers from my eyes. She shot them much better though, and I shrank back, "If you can't, I'm sure your little girlfriend here can." She said, venom dripping from her voice.

"Katara." Zuko said through gritted teeth, ignoring Mai's comment.

"What?" I asked innocently.

"My arm."

"Oh." I let go kind of reluctantly, and he leaned forward and picked the lock on the cell door. Then he pushed the door in, and it swung open. Mai casually walked out, then sighed, looking around.

"I suppose I should thank you," she drawled, "There's nothing to do in there." If that was her way of flirting, she really needed practice.

"What about Ty Lee?" I burst out, "Wasn't she locked in here too? Where is she?"

Mai's eyes blazed suddenly with anger, "Ty Lee is gone." She hissed, "She escaped with her happy little group of Kyoshi Warriors!"

"And she left you behind?" I asked, incredulous.

"You can't always trust your friends." Mai said, no longer angry but sounding defeated. She glared pointedly at Zuko, who looked somewhat guilty. _Don't be guilty! _I willed him, _You did the right thing by joining us! _"Can you?" Mai asked. We all stood in awkward silence. For one moment, just one, I felt sorry for Mai. For Mai, Ty Lee, Azula, Zuko, and all kids ruled by Ozai's tyranny. They were ruled by fear, they controlled others with fear, they made, not friends, but alliances out of fear. Azula was sick and twisted, but what if she had grown up in a Water Tribe? Mai, Ty Lee, Zuko, they all had their flaws. What if they had grown up in an Earth Kingdom village?

"Yes you can." I said quietly, and Zuko and Mai, who were glaring at each other, turned to me. I continued, growing in strength, "I trust my friends to follow me to the end of the world. I trust them with my life. But you, Mai, and Ty Lee were intimidated into being Azula's henchmen. You were brought together by force. If Azula hadn't forced you together, you wouldn't look twice at her. You should be happy for Ty Lee for meeting people like herself and getting on with her life! But you sit here and moan about her betrayal. Take my advice and forget about Ty Lee and Azula and Zuko and get on with your life!" I yelled.

Mai narrowed her eyes in hatred, preparing to strike back viciously. She retorted "Say what you like, water tribe… wretch! I'm not being the selfish one here! You yell at me to forget my only friends, no matter how twisted they are, so I can 'get on with my life!?' Then you tell me to forget the only one I person I have ever loved, so you can greedily snatch him up?! Well I've got news for you! You're the intruder! You should have never stuck your nose into this! Leave me alone and get on with your own life! Go scramble back to Aang because nobody wants you here!" I stepped back, tears in my eyes.

That stung. Even more so, as Zuko just stared at us open-mouthed, not stepping forward to my defense. Did he side with Mai, after all of this? "Fine!" I yelled, "Fine! Maybe you're right! Maybe I will just go back to Aang, it's not like either of you owe me any favors! Leave me here if you like! I don't care anymore!" I screamed, sobbing. I was defeated, humiliated, beaten at my own sport. In a fury, I tore my mother's necklace off my neck and threw it on the ground. It didn't break, like I expected it to. I ran down the hall, away from the scene. I heard no footsteps behind me, and I looked back once. Mai smirked, and Zuko stood a few feet away, looking aghast. There would be no more coming to my rescue. I turned back around and ran, ran until I reached the war balloon docks. The last bit of sunlight left the sky, and I looked out from the docks, facing what seemed like oblivion.

_Do you know what heartbreak feels like? Like something being ripped out of your soul. It feels like there's a fire inside of you with greedy flames that devour everything, and soon all that you can feel is a steady, throbbing pain. All that's left is anger. The beautiful, fragile tiny beating wings of love mutate, becoming the great, overwhelming beast that is pain, rage, and regret. At the moment, you believe that only one thing can make you feel better. Revenge. _

**Author's note: Oh no! Cliffhanger! I'm sorry, I had to get this part on the web. There was going to be more to this chapter, but then I'd have to make you wait even longer. Don't worry about our current situation. Mai may like to tear things down, but Zuko 'has the power to restore balance.' **


	7. Clash

**Author's note: I fell in love with Avatar: The Last Airbender after watching episode 1. Same situation with The Legend of Korra. Maybe I'll write a Korra fic. Or, maybe not. Anyway, I can't wait for season two! Mako and Korra are meant for each other- poor Asami. She didn't deserve to get her boyfriend stolen. She was just at the wrong place at the wrong time, and got in the way of the GLORIOUS PERFECTION that is MAKORRA! Although the relationship is a bit underdeveloped… and Asami can be happy with General Iroh the second!**

**Thank you everyone for your continuing support!**

Toph's POV:

I could feel the whole war balloon, see the whole ship. I felt every gear spinning, every creak as things shifted, and the scurrying of mice who thought nobody knew they were there. But outside of the war balloon, I couldn't see a thing. We had been flying for nearly two hours, while Aang steered and I twiddled my thumbs and made a game of guessing when the ship would turn and throw me against a wall. I could've sworn he was doing it on purpose.

"Hey, Toph, look! I can see Ember Island!" Aang piped up suddenly. I coughed, and he corrected his mistake. "Oh yeah… you're blind… Well we're about land on Ember Island!" I smiled slightly. For the moment, I felt somewhat content. I felt unstoppable, so I decided to do something before the feeling went away.

"Hey, Twinkletoes?" I asked casually.

"Yeah?" Aang replied halfheartedly, obviously busy steering the ship.

"There's this great restaurant on Ember Island… you wanna get some dinner?"

"That sounds great! I love restaurants! And food!"

"Is that Sokka disguised as Aang, or is that really you saying you love restaurants and food? Anyway, 5:30 tomorrow?"

"Yeah. I'll see you there!" He coughed and asked "Um… does this count as a date or something?"

I smiled even wider "You decide."

**Zuko's POV:**

"Why…?"

"Don't start. I know." Mai said in a bored tone, "I beat her too hard, she overreacted. Whatever. I'm going to get dinner. They have to have some kind of food supply around here."

"Mai, you can't just shrug this off. She just ran towards the docks. She might've left on a war balloon. She doesn't have the map. She would have no idea where she's going! What if she's been captured or she's lost or hurt or…" I trailed off.

"I'm fine." A voice behind me said, and I turned around to see Katara re-entering the room. "Actually, I'm more than fine." She added, walking forward, she stopped, retrieved her necklace on the ground, put it back around her neck, and glared at us defiantly. "I must've dropped this." She said in a polite but cool voice.

"Err- you kind of, actually, threw it on the ground…" I stuttered.

"What else was I supposed to throw on the ground?" She asked in a mock innocent voice. "You tell me, wise guy."

I grew suddenly angry, bursting out "Katara, unfair! I didn't do-" She walked past me, down a hall that we found had firebender quarters in it. "-Anything" I finished, watching her go into the third room on the right. It was a small room, we discovered earlier, with ocean blue walls and one small bed. She quietly shut the door.

Mai looked at me, then at the closed door, then back at me. "You'd better go talk to her." She said in a monotone voice. I walked towards the door, standing in front of it. I took a deep breath and said a silent prayer to the spirits that I would come out alive. Then I opened the door…

…And got water splashed in my face. I coughed and yelled "What was that for?" Katara was in fighting stance, with a bucket of water by her feet.

"Oh, it's you." She said in a relieved tone, "I was afraid it was one of those nasty firebender guards…"

"Are you afraid of them?" I asked, slightly teasingly.

She turned bright pink. "That's none of your concern." She said quickly. "Anyway," she asked, tone becoming suspicious, "Why are you here?"

"Why are you mad at me?" I blurted out, "I didn't do anything!"

"Exactly." Katara retorted, "You did nothing."

"You can't always expect me to come to your defense!" I said defensively.

"Isn't that what friends do?" she countered, becoming the offensive player.

"Mai's my friend, too!

"How can you be friends with her? There's nothing to be friends with! No emotion, no happiness or anger. Does she even FEEL friendship?"

"You don't know her! You talk like she's not a human being!"

"Maybe she isn't."

"You know what I think?" I growled, "You're jealous! You think Mai and I are still together! You're just being clingy!"

She blushed. "I am not! I'm being honest!" We glared at each other for a moment.

"You're impossible!" I said, flinging the door open and storming out of the room.

**Katara's POV:**

I went to sleep that night wondering if I had just gotten rejected. I fingered my mother's necklace and wondered: Why had I thrown it on the ground in a fit? Just over a stupid boy. But was he just a stupid boy?

The next day I avoided him as much as possible. For breakfast, I raided the food supply and ate cold water tribe seafood, which, surprisingly, tasted like the food back home. I missed the water tribe, and although the food was enjoyable, it brought with it a pang of homesickness. I ate in my room, alone. But I couldn't avoid Zuko at lunch. When I slunk down the hall to get lunch, I found the food supply empty. My stomach growled, and I was bored to death, but I went to the courtyard anyway, and found Mai and Zuko.

They had set up a picnic of cold food and were eating quietly. Zuko had his head down, but Mai glanced up as I walked in, before bowing her head and returning to eating quietly, also.

"Where's the food?" I asked. Zuko made a point of ignoring me.

Mai obviously noticed, because she flashed me a sympathetic smile and said "On the picnic table." She pointed to a table behind them that I was shocked that I had overlooked. Maybe Mai wasn't so bad after all.

After I ravenously gulped down an earth kingdom sandwich, I cleared my throat and asked "Why are we still here? We could've left right away in the morning." Zuko looked at me, and I suddenly found the green grass by my feet very interesting.

"Good point. Let's leave now." He said, sounding like I had not made a good point at all.

Mai stood up, and walked towards the docks saying "I get to pick out which war balloon we're taking." Which left Zuko and I alone. We sat in silence. Not a bad silence, just uncomfortable.

I took a deep breath, and then said "Look, I'm really sorry I got upset before. I don't know what got into me. And I'm sorry I badmouthed Mai. She's not actually a bad person, just kind of dull… and I was kind of… jealous…"

Zuko didn't look very surprised, but he replied "I-I'm sorry too. Not because I didn't stand up for you, I know you can defend yourself. And not because I didn't follow you when you ran away. It's because I don't think I made it clear enough that…" He trailed off.

"Yes?" I asked, wanting to here what he hadn't made obvious.

"Well…" He said slowly, then sped up "I um… really like you and spending so much time together has been really great-" He sped up even more "Not because the village was on fire or Aang left us or Toph was captured or-" This new strength coursing through me wasn't going to last forever, and nor would his rambling. Without thinking, I leaned in and… well… kissed him.

**Author's note: This was really awkward for me to make this chapter. For some reason I get awkward and sorta embarrassed whenever I write romance stories or kissing scenes. This was my first one on fanfiction, but I've written others on paper. Who knows, maybe I'll clean up some of my old junk in my writer's notebook and publish those on here. But probably not. Oh well! **


	8. Revelation

**Author's Note: Please forgive me. Writer's block. I'm sorry everyone. DISCLAIMER: I still don't own Avatar The Last Airbender or any of its characters. I just have fun playing matchmaker.**

**Author's note: *Takes deep breath* *exhales slowly* I haven't done this is forever, so… Here I go.**

**Zuko's POV:**

Shock. I didn't see that coming. Katara was _Aang's girl! _Wasn't she? Um… wasn't she?! She wasn't my first kiss. I've kissed other girls before. It's not like I just went around kissing girls, but I'd had my fair share. Katara wasn't even the best kisser. But for some reason, this one just felt…right. So why did I have to pull away just then? Why did I have to turn and see… Mai?

Mai nodded slowly, like she understood. Like she wasn't the least bit startled or upset to walk in on us. Like she knew it all along. "The war balloon is ready if you two are." She said flatly. Only someone who knew her well enough could hear the edge of sadness in her voice. The slight tremble of tears that she would never allow to fall. Only someone who knew her well enough… like me.

"Mai." I murmured. She shook her head, and walked stiffly out of Katara's room. "Mai." I said a little louder. I felt like I was in the middle of a game of tug of war between two equally strong competitors, going back and forth, back and forth.

I turned to see Katara, going red with embarrassment. "I kiss you and still all you can think about is Mai?"

"No… it's not that. I just feel like I'm betraying her…" I explained, now feeling terrible for both sides.

"Do you know how I feel? Have you thought that maybe for a second that I felt the same way about Aang? We were never official but it felt like we were, and every second I spent with you hurt!" Katara hissed. _Ouch_. I wasn't sure if she meant it that way, but you could never tell with Katara.

Apparently my expression shown on my face because Katara's angry expression melted into an apologetic one and she said quickly "Oh I'm so sorry! I didn't mean it that way! This whole thing is turning into a tangled web of emotions and…" her voice cracked. _Yep. Definitely emotional. _She swallowed, brushed a lock of hair out of her face and sighed. Then she delivered the biggest shocker of the day. And believe me, there have been A LOT of shockers today. "I- I love you, Zuko."

_I wanted to say 'I love you too' or 'let me think about it'_ "I-" I started, "I-" _or at least something legit, like 'wait…what?' even that was better than what I said. _"I'm confused."

"About what?" Katara asked, slightly frustrated.

"About us. About… everything." I replied, "I'm sorry, Katara, I am, but I've had enough for one day, I think. I-er- if you have any other big revelations please, please save them for tomorrow. "

She looked disappointed, but she smiled weakly and said "Yeah. Whatever… Teddy Bear." Then we both walked towards the exit, towards the war balloon, towards a new beginning.

**Katara's POV:**

Someone PLEASE teach me how to speak boy.

**Author's note: Why do I put these at the end of every chapter? Oh, sorry it's short. I've gotta prepare for the big finale!  
**


	9. Happily Ever After?

**Author's note: I would like to say that I have changed my pen name to Fortune Cookie 334. That's basically it. Let's go!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender or any of the songs I've used.**

**Sokka's POV: **

_This is officially the weirdest day of my life. _I thought, then added _Well, besides the day that we met Aang and this whole thing began. _First of all, I came back to the old fire lord's house to find that all of my friends were gone. That was just the beginning. Suki and I just stood there awkwardly for a while, until I decided to speak up.

"So…" I asked slowly, "Are we going to do something or can I sit down?"

Suki giggled. "Just sit down." I flopped down on the steps, and Suki lowered herself delicately to sit next to me.

"I say we stay here and wait. They'll come here to us." I said, trying to sound thoughtful and not just lazy.

"Whatever." Suki replied, yawning. Then she began twisting pieces of her hair into little braids. After about an hour, we were still sitting there. Suki's head was nearly entirely braided, and she was struggling to take the tight little braids out. Another hour, the sun had set and she was asleep. I must have fallen asleep, because I woke again to Suki shaking me.

"Whaaaa-?" I asked dumbly.

"Get up!" Suki hissed, "There's a war balloon landing in the front yard!" _This is not something I hear every day. Scratch that. It wasn't something I heard every day before I met Aang._

"Why is the sky orange?" I wondered out loud, still not completely awake, "Am I dead?"

"It's sunset!"Suki yelled, yanking my arm and making me stand up. _Oh. I slept a looooong time. _"And you will be dead soon if you don't get up!"

"Oh lord." I whispered, snapped awake by the sight of a war balloon landing right in front of me. I began to run for the house, when a voice stopped me in my tracks.

"SOKKA!"

"Aang?" I turned to see that the war balloon had landed, and Aang and Toph were walking towards me. Actually, Toph was walking. Aang was skipping.

"We're back!" He chirped.

"Stop shaking, Snoozles," Toph grumbled, "We're not firebender guards."

There was a long silence, then Aang looked around suspiciously. "Where's Katara?" He finally asked.

"And Sparky?" Toph added helpfully. This is what I had been dreading. Telling Aang the truth, which was that I didn't know where anyone but Suki and I were until just now.

"I don't know." I mumbled.

"What was that?" Aang said angrily, raising his voice.

"I don't know, Aang! I thought you were with her! You're the one who disappeared, you tell me!" I yelled, fear creeping in. The last thing I wanted to do was lose my sister.

**Toph's POV:**

There he goes again. Katara, Katara, Katara. He couldn't care less where Zuko is, in fact, I'll bet if I hadn't added his name, Aang would have just forgotten that there was a Prince Zuko. Had out adventure meant nothing?

"What if she's lost or hurt? What if Zuko turned evil again? What if Azula's been tracking their every move and now has them in prison? What if-"

"Shut UP Twinkletoes!" I yelled.

Aang looked a little guilty, then said "I just think we need to go look for Katara-" I coughed. "And Zuko." He added.

Boys.

**Aang's POV:**

So I was obviously more worried about Katara than Zuko. You can't blame me! Zuko had been my enemy up until about a week ago! But Toph doesn't get that. It's not that I'm in love with Katara or something! Where'd she get that idea? (blushes)

Girls.

**Suki's POV:**

It was not hard to see this sad little love triangle. It was kind of pathetic, watching twelve-year-old's battle it out while Sokka and I just stood there, confused. That was when I looked up. _Expert timing, as usual. _

"Hey Aang, Toph." I said brightly, "I don't think you have to worry. Because there's another war balloon landing in the yard."

They stopped bickering to watch the war balloon land.

"You know, this might not be a great idea." Toph said skeptically, "Landing all these war balloons, I mean. It's gotta be like sending up a flare to the fire nation. 'Here we are. Come and kill us.'"

"You know, I'm not too worried about that now." Aang replied, smiling warmly.

**Katara's POV:**

Thrill. I loved how it felt, the excitement of finally being reunited with my friends.

"Here we are." Zuko said a bit nervously.

"I just love you." I teased him.

"I still don't know how to react to that." He said loudly, in an annoyed tone that suggested teasing wasn't the brightest idea. We landed. I nearly jumped for joy as the door opened, and I rushed out to meet my friends.

**Zuko's POV:**

I, for one, did not understand why Katara was so happy. Sure, we were back with our friends again. Friends who had been my enemies up until about a week ago. But I didn't expect Katara, of all people, to understand. I walked slowly out of the war balloon, taking my time to emerge in sunlight.

Aang and Katara were hugging like long lost friends who hadn't seen each other in years, when in truth we'd only been gone for a day or two. For a moment, I felt as if everything had gone back to the way it was before. It took me a moment to process why that made me angry. Because maybe I did have feelings for Katara.

I walked over to stand by Toph, then asked casually, "Wanna practice some bending in the academy? They have 5:30 to 7:00 classes." I figured the date with Katara was off, so I might as well busy myself to try and cope with my new, strange, and utterly hopeless feelings. A look of hurt flashed across Toph's face, but she covered it with indifference and shrugged.

"Hey." Someone behind me said, and I whirled around. It was Katara, who laughed. "Don't be making plans," she said, "I'm not done with you. 6:00, remember?" I was overwhelmed, then Katara leaned in to kiss me.

"Wait!" I said. Katara was taken by surprise, and backed up. "You're always the one kissing me. That's not right." I said playfully, "It's not real until the guy kisses the girl."

"Who told you that?" Katara replied huffily, but obediently stayed still as I leaned in and lightly, tentatively, kissed her.

**Aang's POV:**

I expected to be angry or heartbroken, but I wasn't. Part of me was frustrated, because I knew I would never truly get over Katara, but the other part was just happy that my friends were happy. That was all that mattered. I turned and grinned at Toph, showing her three numbers on my fingers. Five. Three. Zero. 5:30. I think she understood because she grinned back.

"I do not approve of this!" Sokka yelled. Zuko blushed, but Katara just laughed.

"I don't care." She told him between giggles. Then the war balloon started whirring.

**Mai's POV:**

What, did you expect me to get off the war balloon? Did you really think I'd be welcomed? I piloted the war balloon into the air, then look down. They were all looking at me.

I had decided to take Katara's advice. I was going to go start a new life. It was time for me to stop pitying myself and do something with the time I have. I was going to make a change in the world. I smiled down at the heartwarming scene, and especially at Zuko, who I didn't know if I would ever see again. Maybe someday we would cross paths. It was hard to let go, but seeing Katara and Zuko so happy helped convince me. I wasn't needed here. As I was just about to be submerged in clouds, I gave one last little half-wave, and Zuko saluted me, before I disappeared into the sky.

I was headed for The Earth Kingdom. I was sure that I could start there, and people would welcome me as long as I didn't firebend. I guess that in the end, everything turned out okay. Even for me.

**Author's Note: =D**


End file.
